2007 Talenti Brunello di Montalcino

The 2007 Brunello di Montalcino graces the palate with layers of expressive fruit. This is a surprisingly large-scaled, intense Brunello from Talenti. Sweet red berries, flowers, mint and tobacco flesh out in this pliant, deeply expressive wine. The 2007 turns more layered, floral and finessed on the finish. Talenti gave the 2007 30 months in oak, 60% French oak tonneaux and 40% Slavonian oak casks. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2027.
(4/2012)

93 points
James Suckling

Aromas of citrus, flowers and fresh raspberries follow through to a full body, with super fine tannins and a long caressing finish. Lively acidity and backbone for the vintage. Very fine indeed.
(1/2012)

93 points
Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

Bright, dark red. Floral and peppery high notes lift aromas of raspberry, dried herbs, leather and earth on the complex, rather Burgundian nose. Saline, tactile, ripe and concentrated, with nuanced flavors of raspberry, minerals and musky underbrush. Finishes with ripe, chewy tannins and excellent rising length. A note of raspberry liqueur emerges at the end but the wine maintains its sappy character. Superb Brunello, and a worthy follow-up to the outstanding 2006.
(7/2012)

90 points
Wine Enthusiast

Cola, black licorice, cherry liqueur and rum cake presage loads of ripe fruit and power. Yet it’s lean and compact on the finish, with bright acidity that would pair well with pecorino stagionato or any aged cheese.
(5/2012)

K&L Notes

From the producer: "Brunello di Montalcino is the red wine which constitutes the "heart" of the Talenti winery, produced with 100% Sangiovese grapes since 1981, it grows in the company's best vineyards. After careful vinification the wine matures in oak barrels (26 and 18 hl) with a small percentage ageing in tonneaus of 500 l for two and a half years, followed by 12 months ageing in the bottle before being sold. When on the shelf, the wine is ruby-red in colour with an intense, characteristic and delicate aroma, harmonious, with a hint of vanilla and red fruit, wide and warm taste. Persistent, very harmonious and tasty, with a structure and complexity which gives the wine longevity."

Product Reviews:

This was once again in my top five Brunelli and is in my cellar and will be there over the next five years or so. I love the user friendliness of 2007 in Montalcino, there are many layers of ripe fruit, tobacco, earthiness, smoke and toasted oak and I would give this an hour or two of decanting to see the great structure and balance that is going on here. YUM !

Additional Information:

Varietal:

Sangiovese

- The most widely planted grape in Italy is Sangiovese, a high-acid grape with moderate to high tannins, apparent earthiness and subtle fruit. It is thought to have originated in Tuscany and its name, which translates to "blood of Jove," leads historians to believe it may date all the way back to the Etruscan period, though historical mentions only go as far back as the early 1700s. Though planted all over modern Italy, the most significant wines made from Sangiovese still come from Tuscany: Chianti and Brunello di Montalcino. Sangiovese must make up 75% of a blend from the Chianti DOCG t be labeled as such, traditionally allowing for Canaiolo, Trebbiano and Malvasia for the remainder, though more recently small proportions of Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot have been allowed. In Brunello di Montalcino the wine must be made entirely of Sangiovese. Prugnolo is Montepulciano's name for Sangiovese, and it is used there for the Vino Nobile di Montepulciano wines. In the DOC of Carmignano Sangiovese can be blended with 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. There are also Super Tuscans, IGT wines that blend Sangiovese with large proportions of Cabernet or Merlot. Elsewhere in Italy it is a workhorse grape, though it does find some success (though not the longevity) in the Montefalco and Torgiano wines of Umbria as well as the foundation of Rosso Piceno and a significant element of Rosso Conero from the Marches. Like Nebbiolo, Sangiovese has struggled to find footing outside of Italy, though in recent years California wineries have been having better fortune with grape plantings in the Sierra Foothills/El Dorado County, as well as Sonoma County and the Central Coast.

Country:

Italy

- Once named Enotria for its abundant vineyards, Italy (thanks to the ancient Greeks and Romans) has had an enormous impact on the wine world. From the shores of Italy, the Romans brought grapes and their winemaking techniques to North Africa, Spain and Portugal, Germany, France, the Danube Valley, the Middle East and even England. Modern Italy, which didn't actually exist as a country until the 1870s, once produced mainly simple, everyday wine. It wasn't until the 1970s that Italy began the change toward quality. The 1980s showed incredible efforts and a lot of experimentation. The 1990s marked the real jump in consistent quality, including excellence in many Region that had been indistinct for ages. The entire Italian peninsula is seeing a winemaking revolution and is now one of the most exciting wine Region in the world. For our entire Italian wine selection, click here. Click for a list of bestselling items from all of Italy.

Sub-Region:

Tuscany

Specific Appellation:

Brunello di Montalcino

- Made from 100% Sangiovese grapes from a specific clone called "Brunello" in the town of Montalcino. Situated in the southwestern part of Tuscany the town of Montalcino sits on a ridge about 400 feet above the Eastern plain. This ridge divides the region into three diverse growing areas. The northeastern part produces wines with brighter fruit, more cherry and high tone notes and somewhat leaner body. The southeastern portion often referred to, as the "Golden Triangle" is the home of Biondi Santi, the family who invented Brunello and championed its production for half a century before anyone else. This region produces wines with rich body, deep ripe cherry to plum fruit with lots of earth and spice. The third portion is the southwesterly facing slope which is the warmest (hence the ripest grapes), consistently producing wines with more breadth and richness. At the turn of this century, there were more than 150 growers who produce the 233,000 cases annually from the 2863 acres inscribed to Brunello.